Chapter 9
"Sam," Dad called to her. Sam stopped gathering her things and looked up at him. "Are you coming with us or going home with Jake?"
Sam looked over at Jake who glanced at her.
"Jake," Sam looked back at her father. Dad nodded, his eyes flicking to Jake.
"See you at home then," Dad told her.
"Are you coming home with me?" Jake asked, coming closer to her.
"To stay?" Sam smiled at him.
"I wish," Jake said. "Mom always has a large dinner to welcome us home."
"Are you sure that would be okay?" Sam asked.
"Sure, why not?" Jake shrugged.
"I don't want to intrude," Sam said.
Jake gave her an amusing look.
"Brat, we're getting married in four years," Jake teased. "You're family. You're not intruding."
"Yes, she is," Quinn grinned at her as he walked by with his sleeping bag.
Sam stuck her tongue out at his back. Jake snorted. Quinn heard the snort and turned around just as Sam sucked the tongue back into her mouth. Jake bit back a laugh as Sam looked innocently at Quinn.
"Something tells me I missed something," Quinn laughed.
"Nah," Sam smiled as she shook her head. "You?"
Quinn stuck his tongue out at Sam before turning and going to Jake's truck to put his sleeping bag into the back. When he was done, he gave Sam a look and she knew he was going to do something. He started to run towards her. Sam dropped her bag and took off running in the other direction. She was no match for Quinn and she was screaming insults at him over her shoulder as he caught her.
She kicked and screamed as he threw her over her shoulder.
"She doesn't weight much," Quinn remarked. "Now what to do with her."
"Throw her in the river," Bryan called.
"What?" Sam yelled. "I'm never speaking to you again, Bryan Ely."
"Put her down?" Jake suggested.
"Nah, that's no fun, Jake," Quinn shook his head.
Sam pounded her fists on his butt.
"I think there's a mosquito buzzing around," Quinn tried to look confused.
"Put me down, you moron," Sam yelled, still pounding her fists on his butt.
"Does anyone hear anything?" Quinn spun in a circle to look at Nate.
"You hammock stuffer," Sam screamed with laughter.
That got all four guys laughing.
"Now Sammy, I've told you a million times, I don't need to stuff the hammock," Quinn explained patiently as if to a child.
"Anyone missing some socks?" Sam's peal of laughter rang out.
Jake barked out a laugh as he started loading horses.
"Samball," Quinn announced and Sam squealed. Bryan came running up and Quinn tossed her to his twin. The two of them ran across the range tossing her back and forth between them.
"One of these days they're going to drop her," Nate stood next to Jake as they watched.
"They better not," Jake warned, his eyes getting hard.
"They'll be eighty years old and still playing Samball," Nate laughed.
Jake chuckled as he nodded, watching his brothers passing his fiancée to each other. Sam's laughter was loud as was Quinn's and Bryan's.
"We need to play football," Nate suggested. "Maybe when we get home tonight."
"You just want to stare at her butt," Jake's mouth twitched.
"I'm getting married in a few days," Nate reminded his little brother. "After that, my wife might get upset if I stare at Sam's butt."
"Your wife," Jake shook his head and Nate grinned.
"Sounds kinda strange, huh?" Nate said.
"Yeah it does," Jake agreed. "I'm still getting used to the term fiancée."
"Next up will be Quinn, then Kit and Adam," Nate murmured. "Then you or Bryan, depending if Bryan finds someone."
"He will," Jake was sure.
"Just be careful he doesn't steal Sammy," Nate laughed as Bryan slung her over his shoulder.
"He's tried," Jake shrugged. "It's not gonna happen."
"No," Nate agreed, shaking his head. "She loves you a lot. It's pretty easy to see that."
"I love her a lot too," Jake reluctantly tore his gaze away from Sam to glance at Nate who had clapped a hand on his youngest brother's shoulder.
"It's pretty easy to see that too," Nate told him.
Jake nodded knowing it was true.
